DMX Arrested For Auto Theft
AttemptAP reports: [not rock related but might
be of some interest, so here it is] Rapper and actor DMX was arrested on
charges that he and another man tried to steal a car in a parking lot at
Kennedy Airport, authorities said.

DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, and
Jackie Hudgins were arrested Thursday night after Port Authority police
interrupted a dispute between the two and another man whose car they allegedly
tried to steal, authorities said. [see full story for more]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Boss Won't Rock GOPliveDaily reports: Bruce Springsteen's
publicist, in response to a call for the New Jersey rocker to play a concert
in opposition to President George W. Bush concurrent with year's Republican
convention, has issued a press release that says Springsteen won't participate
in such an event.

Shore Fire Media, in a one-sentence statement
issued on Wednesday (6/23) regarding the "Draft Bruce" campaign, said that
"Bruce Springsteen will definitely not perform any concerts tied to either
the Republican or Democratic conventions." [see full story for more]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Isaacs, in a statement posted recently
on his website, said that speculation that he was "effectively the new
Jane's Addiction singer," is "totally f---ing nuts. No one in the universe
could replace Perry Farrell and for anyone to try would be ridiculous."
[see full story for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

MXPX Leave LabelRIFTrock reports: MXPX have left their
label. Here's the official announcement from the band's website:

"MxPx originally signed with A&M records
in 1998 in an arrangement with Tooth and Nail allowing the band to have
additional opportunities not available to the independent labels. However,
in the world of corporate record companies, the small "boutique" A&M
records became part of Interscope Records who clearly could not embrace
MxPx even though the band's continued to have a growing fan base and toured
to sell out venues. After years of frustration, MxPx and Interscope (A&M)
Records have parted ways..." - Click
Here for the Full Story

New Found Green Day Glory?RIFTrock reports: Rumors are flying around
of a Green Day/New Found Glory tour in the works for the fall. The tour
is slated to start in October. The tour will most likely take place in
larger venues, perhaps arenas. Dates are expected to be announced near
the end of the summer or in the the fall season. [more]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Ex-Editors Sue BillboardVariety reports: Two former senior staffers
at Billboard are making a lot of noise for the music trade magazine.

A month after being fired, former Billboard
editor-in-chief Keith Girard and senior editor Samantha Chang filed a lawsuit
against the mag and its parent VNU seeking $29 million in damages.

Suit, filed Thursday in New York state
Supreme Court, accuses Billboard publisher John Kilcullen, executive editor
Ken Schlager and VNU chief operating officer Howard Lander, among others,
of "gender and race-based discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliatory
firings, intra-office sabotage and other wrongdoing" that found Girard
and Chang "in a newsroom culture in which corporate management sacrificed
editorial integrity for the sake of financial interests."

The two claim that because of financial
pressures, Kilcullen instructed Girard not to publish any editorials, editorial
cartoons, articles or features that might "piss off" the major record companies
and cause them to withhold advertising or cancel subscriptions. [see full
story for more, it makes for interesting reading] - Click
Here for the Full Story

Ben Folds Capt KirkBillboard reports: Ben Folds is pushing
back the release date of his next solo album to early 2005 in order to
give "Star Trek" veteran William Shatner's upcoming collection, "Has Been,"
his full attention. The set is being targeted for a September release by
Shout! Factory.

"It is a great record and it is really
worth going out and doing some shows in major cities," Folds told Billboard.com.
"(Shatner) is not a musician at all -- he's not rapping or singing -- but
he is still part of the music. I've never heard a record quite like it."
Shatner previously guested on Folds'1998 solo album "Fear of Pop, Vol.1"

Shatner's album was produced and written
mostly by Folds and includes cameos by Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann and Joe
Jackson, who duets with Shatner on Pulp's "Common People." [see full story
for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

William Hung, William Shatner...

Court Reverses FCC Media
Ownership Rules AP reports: A federal appeals court on
Thursday largely reversed a landmark set of rule changes from the Federal
Communications Commission that would have allowed companies to own more
radio and television stations in the same market.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia marked a major setback to the FCC's
efforts to deregulate media ownership rules and a victory for public interest
groups that had opposed the measures. [see full story for lots more] -
Click
Here for the Full Story

Dio Sabbath HitsElectric Basement reports: Warner Bros./Rhino
Records is releasing a new BLACK SABBATH compilation in September focussing
on the RONNIE JAMES DIO era(s). Black Sabbath: The Ronnie James Dio Years
features the following tracklisting:

Korny CoversIAYM reports: KoRn's forthcoming 'greatest
hits' album release will feature two new cover songs, which are reportedly
versions of both Nine Inch Nails' 'Head Like A Hole' and Pink Floyd's 'Another
Brick In The Wall'. The outing is expected out through Epic late this year.
[see full story link for news on Om, Mare, Eyehategod, Soil, Electric Wizard,
Sloth and more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

Glastonbury WebcastsDay in Rock reports: Don't live in the
UK? Or couldn't afford tickets or couldn't make it to Glastonbury this
weekend? You're in luck, Playlouder.com is webcasting performances from
the festival. Webcasts include Franz Ferninand, PJ Harvey, Lostprophets,
Muse, BRMC and more. See the full story link to check it out. -
Click
Here for the Full Story

New Rufus Wainwright EP &
CD ComingSoul Shine reports: When he released his
album "Want One" last year Rufus Wainwright had enough material for a second
CD. As expected "Want Two" will be released later this year or early next
year. Next Tuesday – June 29 – Rufus will release a four song EP "Waiting
for a Want" previewing songs yet to come on the new album. [see full story
for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

Oasis DVDSoul Shine reports: It may be a bit difficult
to believe, but it's been ten years since Oasis dropped their debut album
'Definitely Maybe'. To celebrate the anniversary, the band has decided
to release 'Definitely Maybe – The DVD' on September 6th (in the UK).

In addition to the original recording of
the album (including a vinyl-only track), the DVD will feature an expansive
look at the band and their career. [see full story for more]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Juliana Theory DIY LabelThe PRP reports: After recently parting
ways with Epic Records, The Juliana Theory have formed their own label
dubbed Paper Fist. The label will feature worldwide distribution through
Rykodisc. At present the band are working on new material for their next
album, which will be the first outing released by the label. -
Click
Here for the Full Story

Lamb of God August ReleaseThe PRP reports: Lamb Of God have now
locked down an official August 31st release date through Epic for their
new album "Ashes Of The Wake".

As previously reported, the album will
feature guest appearances from Chris Poland of Megadeth fame and Testament's
Alex Skolnick. [see full story for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

Daddy SlashMTV reports: Slash and wife Perla Hudson
became proud papa and mama to their second son, Cash Anthony Hudson, on
Wednesday. [see full story for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

Love Wants Fans To Pay Her
Web BillMTV reports: Courtney Love's Web site
message board, www.kittyradio.com, has been suspended due to lack of funds.
The singer is asking for fans to make donations or buy "Free Courtney"
shirts at www.getvexed.com, which will donate all proceeds to help pay
the server bill.- Click
Here for the Full Story

Lollapalooza May Live OnMTV reports: Even though the rug was ripped
out from under Lollapalooza this week, former Jane's Addiction frontman
Perry Farrell is optimistic that the eclectic music festival he co-founded
in 1991 will resurface — and it might be sooner than you think.

"There are a few paths we are considering,"
Farrell said Wednesday. "I am getting letters back from many musicians,
letting me know that if there is a possibility of becoming active, they
will come on board again. Our position is thrilling. We can only be saved
by the creative ideas we come up with. We feel like a team gathered around
their coach, who is coming up with a play for the final seconds of a game."
[see full story for more]- Click
Here for the Full Story

Clapton's $959K GuitarReuters reports: Eric Clapton's favorite
guitar for 15 years fetched $959,500 at auction on Thursday, easily eclipsing
the record set by the sale of another guitar by the legendary rock musician
five years ago.

The Fender Stratocaster, nicknamed "Blackie,"
was one of 88 guitars and other items Clapton and other musicians donated
to raise money for Crossroads Center Antigua, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation
center in the West Indies. [see full story for more] -
Click
Here for the Full Story

CBS Eyes "Rock Star" For
Next Reality HitCNN reports: What do you get when you
combine "American Idol," "Survivor" and "Big Brother?"

Answer: a new series produced by reality
TV pioneer Mark Burnett that features musicians vying for the chance to
become the next lead singer of Australian rock band INXS, CBS said Thursday.

The untitled show is set to debut on CBS
next summer after the Viacom unit won the rights to broadcast the show
after outbidding rival networks ABC and NBC, according to media reports.
[see full story for more] - Click
Here for the Full Story

The Clash Reissued &
Expandedpress release reports: In celebration
of the 25th anniversary of the release of The Clash's landmark third album,
"London Calling" (December 14, 1979 in the U.S.), Epic Records has announced
plans to issue a deluxe Legacy Edition version. "London Calling: The 25th
Anniversary Edition" will feature 2 full CDs of music plus a newly-created
DVD component. The package will arrive in stores on September 21st.

"London Calling: The 25th Anniversary Edition,"
will include 2 CDs of music and a DVD housed in a lavish digipack. The
original packaging will be expanded with full lyrics, a new historical
essay, and rare photos by band photographer Pennie Smith. Disc 1 will feature
the complete classic album. Disc 2 is entitled "The Vanilla Tapes" and
features previously unheard demos for the album which were recently discovered
in vocalist/guitarist Mick Jones' storage house. Among the demos that will
feature on "The Vanilla Tapes" are a number of tracks that never made the
final cut of the album. Finally, the DVD will represent a time capsule
of The Clash at the time of "London Calling's" release, and one of its
features will be a newly-created 45-minute documentary by the band's longtime
biographer and collaborator, Don Letts. [see full story for more]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Army of Freshmen press release reports: Ventura, California's
own independent pop-punk success, Army of Freshmen has set July 13th as
the date for their 33rd Street Records release, Beg, Borrow, Steal. The
band will hit the road for rest of the year, starting with the Vans Warped
Tour on June 25th in Houston, TX and ending in Boston, MA on August 19th.
Songs from the new record have already been featured on the hit TV shows
Joan of Arcadia and Summerland, and will be included on numerous CD and
video compilations.

Although the album won't be in stores until
July 13th, AOF will personally be selling the CD on all tour dates starting
June 25th. Hometown fans got a chance to pick up the album a month early
when it went on sale June 12th for one day only at Ventura record store
hotspot, Salzer's. Over 500 dedicated fans from all over the country (some
from as far away as Maine) headed out to Salzer's parking lot to see an
always energetic AOF performance topped off with the consistent display
of comedic skills from front man and crowd pleaser, Chris Jay. Ernie Ball
came directly from an Eric Clapton Festival in Texas to provide their famous
mobile stage which AOF will also be performing on in select cities during
the Warped Tour. [see full story for more, plus tour dates]-
Click
Here for the Full Story

Head Automatica Set Releasepress release reports: Head Automatica,
the new project from Glassjaw singer Daryl Palumbo and Dan "The Automator"
Nakamura (Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gorillaz), have set an August 10th
release date for their debut album, Decadence. Head Automatica are currently
out on the road with Dashboard Confessional and will be out this summer
on the Curiosa Festival starting July 24th. [click the full story link
to preview four tracks from the CD]- Click
Here for the Full Story

2 Cents:
The Un-Real World[It's Friday, time for Chuck DiMaria to
give us his 2 cents. This week Chuck takes on the reality TV craze that
we just can't seem to get beyond.]

I want to blame MTV.

There was a time a while back when MTV
used to play nothing but videos. It was a glorious time. Music videos all
day, all night and a pre-recorded live concert on Friday nights. It was
amazing. But all good things must come to an end while all things stupid
seem to last forever…

Some airhead decided that they should add
non-music programming to Music Television. Brilliant, huh?

And as a result we were subjected to some
of the most mind-numbing drivel ever to be shown on the old HDBB. Game
shows, variety shows, lip-synching shows…you name it, they put it on the
air. It was just awful. And just as quickly as one show would bomb, another
one just as bad if not worse would take its place.

Now I understand why all those rock stars
used to scream "I want my MTV!" They, like the rest of us, just wanted
to see some music videos, not this half-assed attempt at must-see TV programming.

But then, quite unexpectedly, they finally
got it right. It was a little experiment in voyeurism known as The Real
World. They took a bunch of twenty-somethings, seven to be exact, put them
in a loft in NYC (a nice place, too, not some rat-trap), and then just
let the cameras roll. It was all caught on tape, set to a slammin' soundtrack
and delivered to us on a weekly basis.

We couldn't get enough of it. We were looking
in through someone's window and couldn't get caught. Talk about freakin'
Big Brother watching. (If only there had been a shower-cam in the girl's
bathroom, my life would have been complete.)

And to be honest with you, it was actually
pretty cool. The situations seemed fairly realistic, the characters weren't
too off the wall and there wasn't a dull moment.

And it was original. I mean, no one else
was doing it, at least not in that context.

Ah, the good old days; Jim Carrey was just
the white guy on In Living Color, Rap stars were non-threatening, and the
only reality show on television was The Real World on MTV.

But like I said, that was a long time ago
and reality television is now the norm and no longer the exception.